British duo claim open water medals

5:24pm Wednesday 20th August 2008

Britain made it five swimming medals in Beijing as Keri-Anne Payne and Cassie Patten claimed silver and bronze in the open water event.

Payne and Patten set the pace throughout the 10000m race, and were only overhauled in the final 750m by Russian world champion Larisa Ilchenko, who beat Payne by just one and a half seconds to claim gold.

Patten held on for third to ensure that after 24 years without a single swimming medal, British women have now collected five in one Games.

Patten revealed she had her feet tugged back by Ilchenko in the closing stages, before admitting the physical torment she had gone through during the race.

"I was quite annoyed, it's not sportsmanship when you pull on someone's feet," she said.

"Every part of your body is hurting. Your stomach is the size of a pea, because all the blood rushes to your arms, your body is saying stop but your head is saying come on keep going.

"The last kilometre felt like 20km, every time I looked up the finish seemed no closer."